Tribeca’s promising art scene interrupted by Covid-19
Tribeca has long been a home for artists and other celebrities, but it’s only been within the last couple of years that the neighborhood’s storefronts have begun filling with artworks. Now, however, the gallery openings and new shows there have been interrupted by the global pandemic that has put the entire art world on hold.
“Going dark and being quiet isn’t especially productive,” said Elizabeth Larison, director of operations at Apexart, which has been in Tribeca since 1994. “People need connection, whether to share resources, ideas or just share in an interesting conversation.”
New York Academy of Arts — Graduate Art School located in Tribeca on Franklin Street, Nespolo
Artists settled in the neighborhood in the 1970s, turning warehouses and industrial spaces into studio-homes where they could both work and live. But 2019 saw a surge in gallery openings and cultural events in Tribeca.
“There were always artists in Tribeca, more than galleries there were artists,” said Regina Silvers, who has been painting from her art studio on White Street for over 30 years. She recalled that “a lot of little galleries started up and closed and I couldn’t figure out why it didn’t catch on.”
But over the years Tribeca evolved, artists left and the wealthier residents filled the neighborhood. It is now the fifth richest neighborhood in the United States, with an average household income of around $879,000, according to Bloomberg.
“Tribeca is mostly associated with a sort of expensive lifestyle, a perception of fame and wealth,” said Elizabeth Larison from Apexart, explaining the reason galleries now find the neighborhood so attractive. “People have been marveling. The artworld is coming back and people are noticing.”
At least seven new galleries opened in Tribeca last September alone, bringing the total mix to over 30 galleries and art spaces. They are an assortment of newer institutions and established players, all of whom have recognized the opportunity that Tribeca provides.
Lower commercial rents compared to those in nearby Chelsea is the primary factor driving the migration to Tribeca. The arrivals in Chelsea of the High Line and the Whitney Museum of American Art resulted in an exponential growth in rent prices. “In Tribeca, you can get at least double the space, including storage space and downstairs spaces,” for what the same money might buy in Chelsea, said Alex Fitzgerald, associate director at the well-known Andrew Kreps Gallery, which moved from Chelsea in September into a 10,000-feet space on two floors at 22 Cortland Alley in Tribeca.
A corner of the Andrew Kreps Gallery and its exhibition in September 2019, Nespolo
The neighborhood’s history, architectural beauty, and easy accessibility provide other draws. “A lot of buildings are landmarks, buildings preserved from the landmark association,” said Travis Brown, an artist who has lived in the neighborhood for seven years. He said landlords are happy to rent to gallerists because they don’t require much beyond the four walls on which they hang art and so don’t disturb the look of the buildings.
Furthermore, with numerous access points — from subways stops, to the Holland Tunnel exit– Tribeca is easy to get to. “Many express lines stop here, as Canal Street is a hub for downtown Manhattan, and it is also close to key bridges and within walking distance of major touristic attractions,” said Kreps Gallery’s Fitzgerald.
Nonetheless, as social distancing became a new normal, people started avoiding subways lines and Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s announcement that mass gatherings would be limited, the new gallery district had to find other ways to engage potential buyers.
White Street Studio, 50 White Street, during the Tribeca Art+Culture Night in November 2019, Nespolo
Some believe that this temporary halt to the bustling local art scene won’t necessarily lead to a negative impact on the neighborhood. “Tribeca is just starting, we hadn’t really hit our stride,” said Lisa Schiff, owner of SFA Advisory, a private art consultancy that opened a ground floor space last June. “I think that in a short time when things reopen, it will be flooded.”
Schiff said that in her case “COVID came as a blessing.” She said it provided time and space to reassess her priorities, close her international offices in Los Angeles and London and dedicate her efforts to the art scene in New York.
SFA Advisory on White Street, during the Tribeca Art+Culture Night in November 2019, Nespolo
Still, she admits that her business has been moving at a different speed. “It’s not easy to sell much, but even $5,000 goes a long way now,” said Schiff. “Unless there’s a way to get the person in front of the painting they’ll come back to it at a later time.”
Schiff doesn’t believe that online tools are a way to help business along. “I’m refusing to look at online viewing rooms and fairs. It’s no different to what we were doing before at art fairs,” said Schiff, who’s decided to limit her online and social media presence. “We were preselling everything from jpegs anyways.”
Other gallerists said they are turning to online tools to reach buyers. “We set up an online viewing room,” said Indira Cesarine, artist and owner of The Untitled Space, which closed the day after opening a new exhibit.
Cesarine said she’s received a lot of requests and sales have continued. She also credits the fact that her artists have been inspired by the moment to develop COVID-based work and are willing to show their work online. “We have an online open call, we’re selecting artists to do online solo shows,” said Cesarine. “While we can’t really do openings at all, it’s really important to have some sort of audience engaging with our artists.”
A couple of blocks away, Off Paradise, one of Tribeca’s new gallery spaces on Walker Street, had only recently opened with a show by artist Maximilian Schubert when New York City began shuttering the doors of stores and public spaces.
“I feel we have been a bit lucky to have had an opening and the show up for a couple of weeks prior to the shutdown,” said Schubert. He said he is grateful that his galerist Natacha Polaert has helped him find creative ways to promote the exhibition. But he too said the physical interaction with art is irreplaceable.
Maximilian Schubert’s exhibition “Doubles” at Off Paradise will be reopening to the public on June 23rd and has been extended through July 27. Photo Credits: Off Paradise.
“I think if anything, this moment has made me appreciate seeing things in person,” he said. “I think for people like me, who have taken it for granted that I could see a show whenever I wanted, I won’t take it for granted once this is over.”
